Seasonal recurrence and modular assembly of an Arctic pelagic marine microbiome

Taylor Priest (), Ellen Oldenburg, Ovidiu Popa, Bledina Dede, Katja Metfies, Wilken-Jon Appen, Sinhué Torres-Valdés, Christina Bienhold, Bernhard M. Fuchs, Rudolf Amann, Antje Boetius and Matthias Wietz ()
Additional contact information
Taylor Priest: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology
Ellen Oldenburg: Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Ovidiu Popa: Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Bledina Dede: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology
Katja Metfies: Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Wilken-Jon Appen: Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Sinhué Torres-Valdés: Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Christina Bienhold: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology
Bernhard M. Fuchs: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology
Rudolf Amann: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology
Antje Boetius: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology
Matthias Wietz: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Deciphering how microbial communities are shaped by environmental variability is fundamental for understanding the structure and function of ocean ecosystems. While seasonal environmental gradients have been shown to structure the taxonomic dynamics of microbiomes over time, little is known about their impact on functional dynamics and the coupling between taxonomy and function. Here, we demonstrate annually recurrent, seasonal structuring of taxonomic and functional dynamics in a pelagic Arctic Ocean microbiome by combining autonomous samplers and in situ sensors with long-read metagenomics and SSU ribosomal metabarcoding. Specifically, we identified five temporal microbiome modules whose succession within each annual cycle represents a transition across different ecological states. For instance, Cand. Nitrosopumilus, Syndiniales, and the machinery to oxidise ammonia and reduce nitrite are signatures of early polar night, while late summer is characterised by Amylibacter and sulfur compound metabolism. Leveraging metatranscriptomes from Tara Oceans, we also demonstrate the consistency in functional dynamics across the wider Arctic Ocean during similar temporal periods. Furthermore, the structuring of genetic diversity within functions over time indicates that environmental selection pressure acts heterogeneously on microbiomes across seasons. By integrating taxonomic, functional and environmental information, our study provides fundamental insights into how microbiomes are structured under pronounced seasonal changes in understudied, yet rapidly changing polar marine ecosystems.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56203-3

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